Vietnam PM’s India Visit Sparks Synergies for Global South

Photo Credit: ICWA and Ministry of External Affiars, India.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s maiden state visit to India from July 30 to August 1, 2024, perfectly coincided with India’s preparations to host the third Global South Summit on August  17. Amidst the whirlwind of negotiations and deal-making,  PM  Pham Minh Chinh, along his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi put a spotlight on the Global South’s significance.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs, or South Block, applauded  Vietnam’s spirited support and commitment to strengthening the Global South’s standing. 

Answering a question on Vietnam’s interest on the Global South, Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East), of the  Ministry of External Affairs stated, “Prime Minister appreciated the fact that Vietnam has been very supportive of the Global South and has attended both the events that we had last year, and hoped that Vietnam would participate in our future activities with regard to the Global South. And the Vietnamese Prime Minister assured that Vietnam would be a very willing and happy participant in all our initiatives in the Global South. As I mentioned, he indicated that Vietnam is fully supportive of India’s role in world affairs and all the initiatives that we take.”

Special Briefing on the State Visit of Prime Minister of Vietnam to India (August 01, 2024) (youtube.com)

In an interview with COGGS, Dr. Sripathi Narayan, a New Delhi based ASEAN observer elucidated that Global South is often regarded as a conceptual framework rather than a concrete entity. “Within this framework, all eyes are on India due to its vast diversity and the myriad challenges it shares with other developing nations.”

Dr. Narayan pointed out that the Global South could provide Vietnam with a valuable avenue for exploring potential solutions to its own challenges.  Dr. Narayan further  noted,  “while the issues faced by the Global South align closely with those addressed by the Global Commons, the specific concerns of the Global South are not fully encompassed by the Global Commons’ agenda.

Photo Credit: MEA

Vietnam- India Ties on Upward Trajectory

From the heartland of  Southeast Asia— Vietnam is emerging as key architects in shaping the economic trajectory as well as political strength of the region and the Global South.

In recent years, the incumbent-level party-to-party contacts between India and Vietnam have grown. India-Vietnam bilateral trade has skyrocketed by over 85%, and the connection between the two nations is now so robust that 56 flights are constantly shuttling back and forth.  The bilateral cooperation between two aspiring nations  isn’t just taking off; it’s soaring across key sectors like energy, technology, and  in defense and security, their collaboration is gaining momentum.

Since establishing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016, trade between Vietnam and India has surged, reaching approximately $15 billion. However, this impressive growth still pales in comparison to Vietnam’s trade with China, which totaled $171.2 billion in 2023, and with the US, which stood at about $125 billion. New Delhi and Hanoi have a desire to achieve $20 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 and to double the value of their investments.

While in New Delhi,  PM Pham Minh Chinh, along with PM Modi  virtually inaugurated the Army Software Park in the Telecommunications University in Nha Trang in Vietnam, financed by India. Vietnamese PM has welcomed India’s Global Bio-fuel Alliance initiative and both nations have agreed to enhance collaboration in oceanography, marine sciences, and the blue economy. It’s clear that New Delhi and Hanoi also have plan to strengthen their cooperation in oil and gas exploration and production, particularly in Vietnam’s continental shelf.

Vietnam-India Defence Co-operation

The joint naval engagements, including port visits by Indian ships and the gifting of the INS Kirpan corvette, exemplify the practical and symbolic dimensions of the partnership between India and Vietnam. Moreover, their participation in multilateral and bilateral military exercises not only strengthens their defense collaboration but also signals a unified stance on regional security challenges.  Such exercises enhance their operational synergy and reflect a broader  alignment within the Global South. During the Prime Minister’s visit, India extended a set of two lines of credit worth $300 million for procuring two types of patrol boats.

India has the ability to be the key arms supplier for Vietnam, with recent interest of Hanoi on acquiring India’s Akash surface-to-air missile system and Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

Back in June 2022, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen. Phan Van Giang signed a “Joint Vision Statement on

 India-Vietnam Defense Partnership Towards 2030″ and a Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Logistics Support, marking Vietnam’s first such major agreement  with another nation.

The blossoming partnership between Vietnam and India is a prime example of how the Global South nations are banding together to boost their collective clout. In the vibrant atmosphere of the Global South, they have got a better space for scripting their own chapter—showcasing their bravura, addressing  their challenges, and sharing their unique experiences with their fellow members of the fraternity.

As both countries champion the causes of the Global South, their collaboration is bound to play a significant role in shaping global policies. By focusing on enhancing bilateral and regional ties, India and Vietnam are not only bridging trade gaps but also reinforcing their strategic collaboration. This deepening alliance between the two economies is set to be a cornerstone for a more influential, cohesive and economically viable Global South.

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